The Sunday Salon: Two Weeks to Go!

Happy Sunday morning to you all!

Outside my window: Sunny and cold with a very blue sky. I'm kind of wanting snow about now though. It's so weird we haven't had any at all yet. Very weird. Global warming?

I am listening to: I just listened to the song Jenny highlighted on her blog today. I loved it!

Song of the week: I should be talking about Christmas music this month, but I've been obsessed with another Silversun Pickups song this week instead. It's called Sort Of. (And, according to YouTube, it's on Vampire Diaries!)




But if you want some Christmas music... here's one of my favorite Mannheim Steamroller ones, Fum Fum Fum:



TV Talk: We've started a buddy watch! You know like a buddy read, only a buddy watch? Kailana mentioned yesterday she had just started the BBC's Sherlock, something I've been wanting to do for a long time, so I said, hey, I'll watch with you! So last night, I watched most of the first episode. I had 8 minutes left when my husband turned the WiFi off. I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open anyway, so I now I will finish those last few minutes today sometime.

But I loved it! What an awesome guy they have for Sherlock! I love his voice! Which is a good thing because he talks a lot! Anyway, very fun so far, but according to Netflix, there are only three episodes? Is that right?

Reading Report
Currently reading: Same as last week!!!
Books I've finished: Um... NOTHING! Stop asking me!!!
Books I've started: Um... NOTHING!
Books I want to start: Um... EVERYTHING!!
So yeah, as I said last blog post, I've not been reading much of anything. I have to try and finish The Bronze Bow today though, so I can help Toto with her questions/report or whatever she has to do for school. It's a good book, and short, so maybe I can actually do it.

I am thinking: that Christmas is in two weeks from today! And that feels like no time at all when I think of all that needs doing still.

I am grateful for: the Christmas season even if it is quite stressful. I look forward to the week between Christmas and New Years when suddenly life stops (usually anyway) and everything is totally stress free!

What I learned this week: that it's okay to not read if you don't feel like it. Really. It's okay!!

Around the house: We bought a mattress! Call the press! It happened quite suddenly and unexpectedly, but it's done and I'm so excited to have it arrive on Tuesday. Ah, it's going to be heaven sleeping on that thing, and I'm actually quite worried about getting up every morning.

Recipe of the Week: Toto did a science experiment this week and had four bowls of yeast growing, so after we determined which yeast was the "best" we had to do something with them! I made rolls for dinner and cinamon rolls for fun. The rolls I made for dinner are really yummy, and very very easy. (And a little more healthy because it's not full of butter... well, until you put it on yourself after baking!) We make them all the time. Here's the recipe:

2 cups hot water
1 Tb. yeast
2 Tb. sugar
Let that proof and bubble. Then add:
2 tsp. salt
5 to 6 cups flour

Knead that all up really good, roll into balls, place in pan or muffin tins, or however you like to make rolls. Let rise. Bake at 400 or so for 15 min. or so. (Now I'm thinking I may have shared this recipe already... if so... oops. Here it is again!)

Favorite things of the week: Blue Man Group! That was so very fun! Also, taking the girls in our neighborhood church group to see Toto dance at a performance at the library. Then, there was the day that they guy at the library in charge of programs came up and told me that he is getting an author crowd together to come sign this coming Saturday! More on that later. But that was fun news. Oh, and then we saw Santa at the family Christmas party last night. He brought us presents! Guess what I got? BOOKS of course! (The Iron Daughter and The Iron Prince)

Family Matters: Oh the homework homework homework! A Scarlet Letter essay (which needs fixing now,) a song recorded and put to slides and lyrics, then burned and copied and uploaded, a speech written and helped to memorize and then coaching through the ensuing "fear of speaking" panic attacks, an ACT test taken, a writing portfolio to help organize, English worksheets, a math test... and... I can't remember what else. This week will be more of the same. Most tests. TONS of tests. This prep school has finals (like REAL finals) just like college, so all four kids will be taking tests galore.

Things we discussed at home this week: traffic school and is it necessary?

Things I hope to accomplish this week: Yeah, well, where to begin. Send out Christmas cards, finish shopping, wrap, help with Christmas party at work, get birthday ready for Kid #2, survive the above mentioned finals week, book club, two violin concerts for kid#4... and I've got to clean under my bed before the new mattress comes!!

Well, I hope all is going well for everyone! I hope you are still reading through all the busyness and craziness!

Reading? Nope.... Not Me.

I'm guessing it's fairly normal for a reading person to have a lull during these busy December months. However, I don't recall ever having a lull to such an extent as I'm having right now. I'm trying really really hard not to worry about it, and not to wonder if there's something wrong with me. But I seriously haven't picked up a book for three straight days now. I mean, I'm talking NOT AT ALL! Nothing. Zero.

This makes it hard to blog about books, I'm finding, when you just don't even feel like reading.

So, I thought I'd share a few things I'm doing instead of reading.

-- shopping, of course, and let me tell you, I'm not a shopper. I really don't like it much!

-- trying to compose a family Christmas letter. I know it's a dying tradition but I refuse to give in to that idea quite yet.

-- trying to get my five cards ready and mailed out for my Holiday Card Exchange people. Probably I'm making this task too hard.

-- going to dance, violin, and band performances... or least helping to prepare for these things which will
be hitting us full force starting tonight.

-- getting ready for a party coming up this Saturday wherein I have to.... have things ready.

-- going to Blue Man Group! Did this last night with my sister in law since my husband decided he just didn't want to see it. His loss, right? This one minute video gives you a pretty good feel for what the night was like. Since these were part of our season tickets, we were on the front row, complete with rain ponchos that were provided. However, we didn't get anything on us at all! But lots and lots of eyeball looks from the blue men!



-- I've decided to do another project which involves lots of working with pictures on the computer, so I've been stressing about that. And it makes my shoulder hurt!

-- homework! Lots and lots of homework! Funny thing this is, since I'm NOT IN SCHOOL! Ugh.

-- a lot of sitting and staring at the tree. I love that.

-- make lists and checking them twice.

How's it going for you guys? Are you reading still? Or doing other Christmas-y type thing? I don't know.... maybe I'll pick up a book again one of these days soon!

Guest Review: Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron

Book: Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me: A Memoir ... of sorts by Ian Morgan Cron
Genre: Memoir
Rating: A-
For: Review
From: the publisher

This book came just a short time ago with the hope that I'd read it and review it. My husband beat me to the book, so he's doing the review this time! Here's what he has to say:

An author willing to intermingle quotes from Mother Theresa, Jane Austin and Bono (the lead singer for the Irish rock band U2) must be well rounded, fully impartial, or totally off his rocker. Upon finishing the new memoir, “Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me,” by Ian Morgan Cron, I decided that the first two best describe the situation. The author is definitely sane, well, at least as sane as anyone could be after emerging from a childhood marred by the ghost of alcoholism. But don't let the “heavy” theme of alcoholism deter you from reading this positive, light, and heart warming book. For me, the book was uplifting and enjoyable.

The book is the autobiographical account of Cron's childhood growing up in the Northeast. As I ponder on the summation of the read, the main theme revolves around Cron's interaction with his alcoholic father. But, this paints a much darker picture of the book than what is delivered. Intermixed in the story line are funny tidbits, small anecdotes showing the lighter side of life, stories exemplifying how a desperate mother tried to hold a family together. Even the truly horrible scenes are told using a light, healthy point of view.

Now an Episcopal priest, Cron admits that the book is quasi-autobiographical: meaning that names were changed, and stories were told as he “remembers them.” His goal was to capture the essence of the times. And this he did very well. I cannot put my finger on a single event that defined Cron. Instead, I feel I understand who he is based on the summation, or essence, of all of his stories. Cron travels from financial bliss to the epitome of financial difficulties as his father destroys the family's financial stability. He passes through the “no friends” phase and he is constantly hounded by the thought that “there is something wrong with me.” Alcoholism rubs off of his father and lands squarely on Cron's resume. Not surprising considering the statistics.

For me, the treat was reading one of the closing scenes where Cron shows wonderful support and understanding of his own children. The local watering hole included a forty foot high jumping platform where daring teenagers show off for their girlfriends by jumping into the water below. Cron weaves a delightful story of his own children's hopes and dreams as they coax him into jumping from the high platform with them. A father loving his children. Children learning from their parents. Parents learning from their children. Triumph for both.

I hope that Cron's writing painted a true portrait of his current mental state. If so, I believe he has emerged from his childhood with his head firmly planted on his shoulders and a healthy outlook on life. He has nipped the cruel cycle of alcoholism in the bud.

Other Reviews:

Semicolon

QG's Book Reviews

A Librarian's Life in Books

Top Ten Tuesday: Childhood Faves

The prompt this week over at The Broke and the Bookish is a popular one that I've done... oh... probably several times before. Without looking at my previous posts on this subject beforehand, let's see if I come up with the same list!

Top Ten Childhood Favorites

1. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls... can you say cried and cried and cried!
2. The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder... got the whole series and loved them all.
3. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner...made my brothers play this with me.
4. Nancy Drew by Caroline Keene... and didn't we all love these?
5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery... I wanted to be Anne so bad.
6. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell... was fascinated by the survivor skills she had.
7. Mr. Pine's Mixed Up Signs by Leonard Kessler... begged the babysitter to bring this every time she came!
8. Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf... it killed me how unfair this whole story is!
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess.... my favorite Christmas story.
10. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett... a story could get more perfect!

Now you can check my other lists!
Childhood Favorites: Novels
Childhood Favorites: Pictures Books

What's on your list?

(I'm realizing that these lists will once again show everyone how old/young we are! You will not be finding Harry Potter on my childhood favorite list, that's for sure!)

The Sunday Salon: Baby, It's Cold Outside

Outside my window: Dark and cold. Yes, it's suddenly quite cold around here. We had some wild wind this past week, but the city up north got hit much harder than we did. State of emergency even I think, up there. I was glad for my snug house and lots of quilts to cuddle up with!

I am listening to: There's a game in the background. BYU vs. Hawaii. Mmmmmm.... Hawaii. I'd like to go there again some day.

Song of the week: No song to share this week, but here's a video Toto (12 year old daughter) edited this week... a tour of our boat on the cruise we took this past summer. It will give you a good feeling for what the this boat, Freedom of the Seas, is like!




TV Talk: I'm still watching Terra Nova, but it's been a little boring. Amazing Race hasn't been as exciting as usual this season either. Survivor continues to be fun and dang.. Cochran! I just got caught up again with Once Upon a Time. It's very good actually. I haven't watched Dr. Who or Supernatural for weeks.

Reading Report
Books I've finished: Nothing finished. Still working on Inheritance and The Path of Daggers
Books I've started: The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare, because Toto is reading it for 7th grade English and I decided to join her.
Books I want to start: Gosh, so many!

I am thinking: that it's really weird that December just started, yet I already feel stressed about getting Christmas done, and that there's no time. I think it's because the kids are all out of school for two full weeks, which means things really need to be done just a week or so from now, so that we can relax and play when the kids are home.

I am grateful for: furnaces.

What I learned this week: I learned that in order to get a book signed by a  famous author, you will do a lot of waiting in line for that signature... first to get tickets, then to get in to the presentation, then in line again for the actual signature. Lots and lots of waiting.

The only author I've seen sign standing up, and looking you in the eye.
Also the only author I've seen that travels with a very obvious body guard!

Around the house: It's decorated! It's Christmasy and it's very very cluttered!

Favorite things of the week: seeing Christopher Paolini... twice, getting my Holiday Swap package ready and sent off! Listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album, sitting and looking at the Christmas tree.

Family Matters: Kid 1 has signed a contract to move out in January to an apartment complex, Kid 2 keeps on studying, Kid 3 won the rubber band car race, and also gets to take the ACT next Saturday, and Kid 4 is selling books for an orchestra fundraiser.

Things I hope to accomplish this week: survive seeing Blue Man Group (we are in the front row and that scares me for this show!), a family Christmas party, the ACT test, shopping shopping shopping

The Blog Report: This past week I told you about some challenges I hope to do, I made a list of books I hope to read this winter, and I reviewed The Night Circus, which will be on my year's top ten list for sure.

Behold! A Signature!

You remember back when I was complaining about not being able to get  my Inheritance book signed? Alas, I can complain no longer:

And look! Personalized and everything! Something I'm realizing is NOT to be taken for granted!

So yesterday I was about to embark on a massive Costco shopping spree, when I suddenly realized a line was forming and in that line everyone was holding a large green book. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the man himself would be showing up in one and a half hours time! I asked the line nazis people in charge and they confirmed that yes indeed, he would sign Inheritance NO MATTER where I bought it! (Side note, I bought at Costco a few weeks before!)

So I did the only thing I could do at the moment and called Jenny.

"You want your Inheritance signed? You gotta get to Costco right now! Oh, and can you go get my book for me?"

I called my slumbering 22 year old son. It was, after all, a bright and early 11:00 a.m.! He woke up and put my book on the porch, Jenny drove by and grabbed it, then came and joined me in line. We waited about one and half hours and got our books signed! (So much for the shopping spree, eh?)

Take that Random House.

Tonight we'll be faithful fans at the library, supporting this awesome author in all his rock star fame. And I'll be bringing the other three books to be signed.... but not personalized! And I'll leave Inheritance at home.

Challenges! Challenges!

I started blogging because of reading challenges. I heard of them through online book groups and everyone was keeping track of things on their blog. I felt left out. I pondered for... oh.... about a year... then finally jumped in.

Now five years later, I'm pretty much over challenges. They are so enticing, yet, I never end up actually doing them. Well, most of them anyway. So, over the years, I've committed to less and less. This past year, I did do Carl's two famous ones (Once Upon a Time and RIP) which are pretty much a given, and in which I actually succeeded for the most part. I also wanted to do the 2011 Challenge and Take a Chance 3, which both seemed like so much fun. But in the end, they were too much work and I only read a few books for each of them.

But it was fun to try.

Besides, all that, I've discovered that I really enjoy buddy reads, which are more interactive, so my reading challenge is to continue doing those, and even maybe do more of them.

All that being said, there's been a few challenges I've come across that I can't seem to pass up. And my guess is there'll probably be a few more. And like I said, it's always fun to try!

So here's a list of the few that I'm hoping to try this coming year... so far anyway:

A Classics Challenge (details found here) brought to us by Katherine of November's Autumn. I like this one because it's set up a little different. We read seven classics throughout the year (something I'm always trying to do anyway) and then come to Katherine's blog on the 4th of each month and answer the general questions she will post about whatever classic you happen to be reading, or just finishing, at that moment. I like that idea.

Seven classics I'd like to read are:
1. Vanity Fair by William Thackeray
2. Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson
3. Precious Bane by Mary Webb
4. various unread Wilkie Collins that I have here on hand
5. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
6. A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
7. My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara

Classic Double Challenge 2012 (details found here) brought to us by Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews. This one also has to do with classics, but here we read an original classic and then a re-telling of the same story. We can pick a level, and I'll try for the medium level, which is four books (two sets). My ideas so far on this one are:

1. something Robin Hood, maybe two new-to-me versions (Melissa says it counts though I'm not sure how to read the "original" story!)
2. I'm dying to re-read Persuasion and then it would be fun to read a re-telling of that one. Suggestions welcome.


Dean Koontz Reading Challenge (details found here) brought to us by Brigit from The Book Garden. Mostly I'm joining this one so I can aim to finish the Odd Thomas series! I have the next two books, here and ready to go!

So, wouldn't you love to join with me? Come on... you know you want to! What challenges have you found that you can't seem to pass up?